Resources, Advice and Stories from Bone Anchored Hearing System Users

Tag Archives: college student

Since the Ponto 3 SuperPower came out in January, I’ve been itching to get my own. After seeing so many faces of children and adults alike light up after popping their SuperPowers on for the first time, I knew I had to have mine. Recently, that day came for my own ‘snap day’ with my new Ponto 3 SuperPower!

When I got my first Ponto Plus in the summer of my sophomore year of college, the very first sounds that I heard were those of a doctor’s office in Boston. Though that experience was wonderful, I wanted to go the extra mile when I snapped on my Ponto 3 SuperPower for the first time.

A big part of my life in college is singing for the Stonehill College Chapel Choir. Its members are some of the most important people in my life, and I wanted very much to share this experience with them. I have been with them since my freshman year, and now that I am graduating, we are having a lot of ‘lasts’ together. I figured it was about time for another ‘first!” So, the first thing I wanted to hear with my new Ponto was their beautiful voices singing one of our favorite songs; and we got it on camera! Take a look:

To have felt such overwhelming excitement and joy from being able to hear so clearly was remarkable. Every day, I’m astounded by the number of lives that this device has the power to change for the better. I couldn’t be more thankful to the creators of this device; the people who gave my hearing back to me!

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About the author – Kevin Hotaling

After attending Oticon Medical’s patient advocacy event in 2016, I knew I wanted to take action on my advocacy in a new way. I am in awe of the work that Oticon Medical does, and even more so excited by the ways in which the work is done. I’ve always been very adept in social networking and media and knew I wanted to use my skill set in a professional, progressive and communal environment.

What can help increase social engagement, improve listening, confidence and increase well-being? A recent study shows how wireless technologies are making that impact on young people with bone anchored hearing systems.

Imran Mulla, Research Scientist at the Ear Foundation shares his findings from the study, which looks at the benefits of teenager’s use of wireless technology with their bone anchored hearing systems. The qualitative study was conducted with young people who use Oticon Medical’s Ponto Plus and the Oticon Medical Streamer with the Oticon ConnectLine microphone/streaming devices.

Below, you’ll meet James Guppy, one of the research participants. He explains how he uses the Streamer with the Oticon ConnectLine microphone and streaming devices. He uses the Streamer with his phone, to watch TV and for playing games on the computer. He uses the microphone system at home with his family and in school where he’s just completed his training to become a mechanic.

Kevin Hotaling is a sophomore at Stonehill College who got his Ponto Plus on October 13, 2014. When we saw Kevin’s video, we just had to meet him. We knew you’d feel the same.

So, here’s Kevin to tell you a bit of his story:

I originally found out about Ponto through one of my mother’s coworkers. She didn’t have the Ponto, but she had a very similar bone anchored hearing aid procedure done, and she’s had results that were nothing short of stellar. I was nervous originally. Although surgery was nothing new to me, the idea of someone drilling into my skull was very unsettling. In addition to that, I hadn’t heard of any people my age who had ever gotten the procedure done. I had only ever heard of adults and small children owning the system, never a teenager. I was given the opportunity to test the device using a headband, and immediately, I noticed a massive difference in my hearing quality.